Remake from 1948 classic with the same title starred by Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman that resulted to be a big budget box office loser . It's a romantic drama set in WW2 with excellent actors as Anthony Hopkins , Leslie Anne Down and Donald Pleasence . The film tells about Dr. Ravic (Anthony Hopkins , role played in classic version by Charles Boyer), he's a German doctor exiled , living in Paris before the Nazis penetrate into the city . Under false name and with no papers , aware always that the Surete(French gendarmes) could be sent away or jailed . The doctor befriends a good friend (Frank Finlay in the character performed by Louis Calhern ) who is club-caretaker called Scherezade . One day he sees to Haake (Donald Pleasence similar role to Charles Laughton) a Gestapo official who tortured him and his anterior love and he's looking for revenge . One night in a bridge over river Sena , the refugee medic finds Jean Madou (Lesley Anne Down who sings a wonderful song , she plays the Ingrid Bergman's character), a beauty and mysterious gal and he rescues her from a suicide attempt. The WWII isn't the best environment for romanticism and a love affair but he falls is love with her.
The film is a romantic melodrama about an unfortunate refugee who falls in love with a mysterious woman just before the Nazis enter Paris and played by over-the-top actors. However is slow moving with sluggish pace and little bit boring . The casting is frankly sensational as Anthony Hopkins as sad refugee and gorgeous Lesley Anne Down as unlucky damsel in disgrace are top-notch . The secondary cast is awesome, impressive Donald Pleasence as Nazi official, one of the his usual roles as villain and the lion's share of the acting meat deservedly goes to Frank Finlay as an exiled Russian colonel of the Czar who's a doorman in a show-coffee. Atmospheric cinematography though is necessary an urgent remastering and sensible musical score by George Deleure . The motion picture based on a novel by Erich Maria Remarque is professionally directed by Warris Hussein who directed various TV movies based on biographies ( Wives of Henry VIII, Princess Daisy , Edward and Mrs Simpson), a teenager drama (Melody) , terror (Posession of Joel Delaney) and many others. The picture will appeal to Anthony Hopkins enthusiast .
